Springfield Grocer Company presents the 3rd Annual Taste of Springfield event coming to you on Saturday, October 3, 2009 in the heart of downtown Springfield. Taste of Springfield is the largest outdoor food festival in Springfield and is held on Park Central Square continuing down South Avenue to Walnut Street.

26 locally owned and operated restaurants will be serving sample size portions of signature dishes. Festival attendees will be able to sample some of the best food Springfield has to offer and vote on their favorites in the “Best of Fest” competition.

Other activities during the festival include children’s activity area, cooking stage, and downtown beer garden featuring the micro-brews of the Springfield Brewing Company, locally made wine from OOVDA Winery and a cigar bar from Just For Him.

Schedule of Events

Food sampling from 27 area restaurants from Noon to 4:00 pm.

Metro Builder Supply Cooking Stage:
12:00 pm Dagwood Dash Sandwich Building Contest
12:15 pm Iron Chef I with Mille's Cafe's Marc Giacin Vs PriceCutter's James Clary
1:45 pm Iron Chef II with French Quarter Cafe's Edward Martin Vs Chi Treiu of Little Tokyo
3:00 pm Show Case Chef - Wing Leong

Q102/Hoover Music Stage:
(located in the Beer Garden next to Nonna's Italian Restaurant)
11:30 am Jah Kings
12:45 pm Springfield Little Theatre - "The Producers" Preview
1:30 pm Nigel & the Ghost
2:45 pm Honkytonk Renovatoers

Camping World Firefighter Grilling Competition
(located next to Staxx Apparel)
12:30 to 3:30 pm
Firehouse #3 - Phil Noah Vs Firehouse #2 - Glenn Kimberlin
This is a re-match from 2008 when Glenn took the honors. Can Phil come back to defeat the 2008 winner?

"Springfield Takes the Cake" Live Cake Decorating Contest:
(located in the Greene County Library Park Central Branch)
12:30 to 3:30 pm
Contestants: Kelli Franklin (winner 2008), Beth Perry, Anna Reese (participant 2008), Crystal Hill & Jennifer Monger.

4:30 pm Awards for Best Appetizer, Best Entree, Best Dessert, Best Booth and all of the culinary competitions will be presented at the Q102/Hoover Music Stage.

Admission is FREE and the gates will open at noon with food sampling from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. with live music lasting until 4:30 p.m. Food tickets are sold in sheets of 10 for 10$!

The UDA would like to thank our supporting sponsors Hoover Music, Empire Bank, Midwest Families Broadcasting, Springfield News-Leader, MetroMix, Metro Builder Supply, Traders Printing, Cox Hospital, Camping World, Coca Cola Bottling Co., Premium Beverage, Springfield Brewing Co., Waste Management Corporation, Pinnacle Sign Group, Ozarks Regional YMCA, and Greene County Library Downtown.